On August 9th, 2026, Dr. Shri Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari Pratishthan (DSNDP)— a global nonprofit organization dedicated to community service — returned to Markham, Ajax, and Pickering for its second cleanliness drive in these communities, building on its earlier work. The initiative underscored DSNDP’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, community engagement, and civic responsibility throughout Ontario. In total, 24 volunteers collected 29 bags of waste, weighing an estimated 435 pounds, highlighting the value of continued, hands-on efforts to keep public spaces clean and welcoming.
Since April 2023, DSNDP has been leading sustainability efforts throughout Ontario, guided by the founding principle of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — the belief that the world is one family. Under the dedicated leadership of Dr. Appasaheb Dharmadhikari and Dr. Sachindada Dharmadhikari, these initiatives continue to encourage communities to embrace civic responsibility and take an active role in building a cleaner, more sustainable Ontario.
The Markham cleanliness drive was further highlighted by the presence of Councillor Amanda Yeung Collucci and Councillor Alan Ho. Councillor Collucci, who visited Wismer Park this past May, extended her sincere thanks to DSNDP volunteers for their continued dedication to keeping the park clean, calling their efforts truly inspiring, particularly for younger generations who represent the community’s future. She noted that the impact of these initiatives extends well beyond Ward 6 and the City of Markham, reaching communities across Ontario, and emphasized the growing importance of environmental awareness today. She praised the volunteers’ leadership as admirable and expressed her hope to join the group again at Wismer Park next year. Councillor Alan Ho also joined the event and presented a certificate of recognition to DSNDP in appreciation of the organization’s continued environmental efforts in the community.
That morning, DSNDP volunteers gathered at Wismer Park (980 Bur Oak Avenue, Markham, ON) from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM as part of an Adopt-A-Park initiative in partnership with the City of Markham. The event drew 11 volunteers, who collected 9 bags of litter totaling approximately 135 pounds — reflecting DSNDP’s continued dedication to preserving and beautifying Markham’s green spaces.
Later that day, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, two cleanup drives took place simultaneously in Ajax and Pickering, ON. In Ajax, volunteers carried out an Adopt-A-Road initiative
along Salem Road, between Rossland Road and Taunton Road, in partnership with the City of Ajax. During the drive, 10 volunteers collected 14 bags of trash, weighing approximately 210 pounds — a strong showing of civic pride and commitment to maintaining this high-traffic corridor.
In Pickering, a community cleanup was held along Highway 7 between Sideline 20 and Brock Road as part of the Adopt-A-Highway program, with support from the Ministry of Transportation, Ontario (MTO). Here,3 volunteers gathered 6 bags of waste, totaling 90 pounds.
Since April 2023, DSNDP has expanded its presence to 10 Canadian cities, with 931 volunteers collectively removing over 25,005 pounds of waste through its Adopt-A-Park, Adopt-A-Highway, and Adopt-A-Road programs in Ontario. The organization has also led tree plantation drives in Mississauga and Hamilton, where 74 volunteers planted 950 trees. Additionally, in partnership with Canadian Blood Services, DSNDP has hosted plasma donation drives in July 2022, October 2023, November 2024, and October 2025 — reflecting a commitment that extends well beyond environmental efforts.
In recognition of its outstanding contributions, DSNDP was honored with the Civic Pride Award 2024 by the City of Niagara Falls.
Photos from the Markham, Ajax, and Pickering clean-up drives are attached. For more information, visit: https://www.dsndp.com
